Young people told the BBC that they found jobs more difficult than ever, and some graduates were frustrated by being denied a role in supermarkets.

The government said it was imperative to get more young people to work, but job openings in the UK have been at their lowest level in nearly four years.

The British Retail Alliance (BRC), which represents supermarkets, told BBC young people will be hit the hardest as businesses cut hiring due to rising employer costs and the upcoming change of worker rights.

Faisa Ali Tarabi, 24, from Bolton, said she had gone through Aldi's recruitment process and was only told there were no appropriate vacancies.

She holds a degree in accounting and finance from the University of Salford and has a Master of Management from the Metropolitan University of Manchester

When she completed her master's degree in January 2024, she began looking for a job, and she estimated she applied for about 2,000 roles.

“I haven’t worked for 15 months and honestly, I’m not only looking for a job with a degree.

Fasa said she applied for a job at the Aldi warehouse in March 2024. But an email to the BBC to the store recruitment team showed an email: "You have done a really good so far, but we don't have the vacancies that you requested at the moment."

It said "though everything is not lost" and said that if there may be potential vacancies over the next 12 months, the recruiter will resume contact. She said she hadn't heard anything since. The BBC has commented to Aldi.

In February, we reported that at the end of 2024, there are no more young people aged 16-24 years working, educating or training than at any time in the past 11 years.

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), that's 13.4% of the age group, or almost one in every seven people in that age group.

Faisa, one of hundreds of people commented on BBC News Tiktok in the report, said their unemployment was not something to try.

One user said: "I checked every day and didn't have a job."

Another said: “I completed my college degree and couldn’t find a job in the field I studied.”

A third user posted: "Young people are not picky, we can't even hire a toilet to clean."

According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of jobs provided in the UK fell to 781,000 in the first three months of this year.

Some experts believe that rising costs of hiring are causing businesses to shrink new employees.

In April, tax rates for employers' national insurance contributions (NICs) rose, as did minimum wages for different age groups.

Business groups also called for urgent changes to the upcoming Bill of Rights for Employment due to concerns it may encounter.

Under the new law reviewed in the House of Lords on Tuesday, company owners will be required to provide guaranteed hourly contracts based on their time on the clock for zero hours over the 12-week period.

According to a BRC survey, the biggest concern among retail HR directors is that this may make it more difficult for people to offer part-time jobs.

It surveyed human resources directors at 30 businesses and collectively employed 585,000 retail workers.

Just over half of the legal changes will result in a decrease in the number of employees in their business, while 61% say the new law will reduce the flexibility of positions.

“The retail industry has lost nearly 250,000 jobs over the past five years, and many major retailers have announced that jobs have increased in April,” said Helen Dickinson, CEO of BRC.

She said part-time roles have dropped by 200,000 since 2017.

“These roles provide important admission points for students, caregivers and returnees, which will be the biggest blow,” she said.

“In its current form, the Employment Rights Act may backfire, leaving brakes hiring, or worse, reversing retail job numbers further.”

In November, we spoke with Amy Wilkes, 23, of Coventry, who struggled to find a job after earning a degree in criminology, policing and investigation.

She said she applied for a supermarket role but received no response.

"It feels impossible," she said. "What really hurts me is that there is no response because you don't get any feedback to tell you what you're wrong."

Seven months later, Amy was given a job as a support staff member, which she will start in July.

"This is the surreal moment I found. I was absolutely shocked, very excited, but very excited," she said.

Her advice for other job searches is “don’t give up.”

"I know it's really hard, but there's a job there," she said.

“Think about what you can offer – it helps me to think about myself, to understand my value and what I can bring to the company.”

A government spokesman said its new "Youth Guarantee" is "providing apprenticeships, quality training and educational opportunities or helping to find jobs for every 18-21 year old in England".

It said its decision, including the decision to increase employer Nice, must "stabilize public finance" to fund services such as the NHS.

They added that businesses can ask employer Nics to provide relief to some qualified employees, including apprentices under 21 and under 25.

1. Over 40 miles of radius - Remote, hybrid and flexible work opening opportunities further away.

2. Use keywords in search - The online algorithm will do daily searches and send you more of the same content.

3. Don't wait for publicity - Contact the business manager you like to look, because you never know what opportunities might be.

4. Sell ​​your skills - Use social media sites like LinkedIn to showcase your skills and experience. It can also be useful when other platforms like X and Instagram blow themselves toward potential employers.

5. study - When looking for a job, check if there are free courses, volunteering or shadows to fill in the gaps in your resume.

6. Celebrating a small victory - Set personal goals, such as a certain number of jobs to apply for in a week, or many cold emails to send and confirm the winnings along the way to keep your spirits excited.

You can read the tips from professional experts here.